Gloster F.5/34 decals and colour scheme

[EwenS]

Further to my last post some more information I have come across from the Britmodeller site discussions about Martlets.

The USN ordered 95 F4F-3A with Grumman producing them from March to May 1941 with the monthly figures being 45 / 17 /33. It was the first 30 produced in March that ended up with the FAA. ClaudioN made the following comment last week on Britmodeller about how they ended up in British hands.

"The order that never was

Lend-Lease was approved by the US parliament on March 11, 1941. Eight days later, on March 19, 30 Grumman fighters were allocated to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease. This is recorded in a communication from the Secretary of the Navy to President Roosevelt (library documents) as Requisition number 1465. On March 28 Roosevelt advised for transfer to Greece, but this was cancelled on May 22, returning to the previous arrangement. This appears very much a cover story for the transfer of fighters to Britain (possibly/seemingly devised by Roosevelt himself?), rather than the proof of an actual Greek order."

So who knows what camouflage they might have left the factory in! Also seems they got another change of camouflage in spring 1942 when it became clear that they were operating over the Med on coastal convoy protection duties for which "sand" coloured upper surfaces were not appropriate.

Several long running threads on early F4F / Martlet production, configurations etc over on Britmodeller if you want to go further down the rabbit hole.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Here's the restored yellow Martlet's first flight in 2022.

Not the prettiest scheme I must admit. My favourite desert scheme is on the Bf 109.

So who knows what camouflage they might have left the factory in!

There was another Martlet at Duxford, in the more usual colour scheme.

The above photo is from Wikipedia, as when I was there its wings were folded and it was in a corner behind a Hawk 75 and P-40.

 

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

Contract 75736 dated 5 August 1940 was originally for 243 F4F-4, extended by another 254 F4F-3, -3A, -4, another 162 F4F-4 on 23 June 1941 then a further 160 F4F-4 on 28 July 1941, total 819, another 40 aircraft reported cancelled. Built as
From 3856 to 3874, 19 F4F-3 aircraft (accepted after F4F-3A) (R1830-76 engines)
From 3875 to 3969, 95 F4F-3A aircraft, including 30 for Greece (3875 to 3904, accepted in April 1941)
From 3970 to 4057, 88 F4F-3 aircraft (R1830-86 engines)
From 4058 to 4098, 41 F4F-4 aircraft
First 243
From 5030 to 5261, 232 F4F-4 aircraft
From 5262 to 5283, 22 F4F-7 aircraft
Next 254
From 1991 to 2152, 162 F4F-4 aircraft
From 3385 to 3544, 160 F4F-4 aircraft

Before the RAF stopped tracking RN aircraft it compiled a list of F4F orders,
F-292 for 95 mark I, Wright GR1820-G205A (only 81 built, French order was 100, 81 complete, equivalent of 19 in spares)
A-1548 for 100 mark II, P&W R1830-S3C4G
BSC 154/LL83734 for 150 mark IV/F4F-4B (USN dates this to 30 June 1941)
BSC 7202/LL83734 for 70 mark IV/F4F-4B
BSC 1465/LL? for 30 mark III/F4F-4A

The non availability of the R1830-86 engine and folding wings saw the order recast, the war situation saw it expanded. The USN says the 30 F4F-3A were a diversion to Greece. They are the only US built naval fighters delivered direct to the Middle East, they needed local allocation of RAF serials, unlike every other F4F order made by the British. The import reports say Martlet from August 1940 to February 1943, except 27 Wildcat in July and 3 in October 1941 to the Middle East, Wildcat is the name used from May 1943 onwards.

Last week in February 1941 Greeks accept offer of ground troops, first week in March first lift of troops to Greece, arriving on 8 March, 11 March Lend Lease, 25 March Yugoslavia signs tripartite pact, 27 March 1st Armoured Brigade, New Zealand Division and one Australian brigade mostly in Greece, 28 March Yugoslav revolution and Cape Matapan, 30 March Rommel attacks, 6 April Germans invade Yugoslavia, 28 April final allied withdrawal from mainland Greece.